Lee 2 vs 6 cavity molds

[craveman85]

Is there a quality difference between the lee 2 cavity and 6 cavity models or just the increase in production. I'm thinking I'm going to get the 430-310gr for my 44 and get back into casting but if quality isn't any different I'll probably just go with the cheaper 2 cavity one

[earlmck]

IMHO the 6-cavity Lee is an order of magnitude nicer than the 2-cavity. My only complaint about the 6-cavity is that it is not available in all the Lee styles.

[craveman85]

I know consistency in size can vary between molds but what about between cavities on the 6.

[gpidaho]

I own about thirty Lee moulds, some two cavity and some six. Some I have are as good as the higher priced moulds, some have just been thrown in the trash. It's just not a sure thing with the Lee moulds. You pay the low price and take your chances. My opinion, the six cavity are well worth the extra but if you want a sure thing one cavity to the next. Buy Accurate or Noe moulds. Worth the extra. Gp

[Soundguy]

Is there a quality difference between the lee 2 cavity and 6 cavity models or just the increase in production. I'm thinking I'm going to get the 430-310gr for my 44 and get back into casting but if quality isn't any different I'll probably just go with the cheaper 2 cavity one

I've found no finish difference in any of the lee aluminum molds produced at the same time frame. The 6 cavity molds heat differently and depending on rhythm may or may not give you issues. they are CNC cavities with vented faces. 2 or 6 cavities.

[craveman85]

Someday I'll probably get a nice iron mold but I lost all my casting equipment about 5 years ago in a flood and have been on hiatus with cast loads since then. Have to rebuild my stash too. Used to have 1000+ lbs of wheel weight ingots but someone stole them all during the cleanup.

[Soundguy]

Gotta love iron molds.I have a couple lyman and love them.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I just got a Lee 2 cavity mold. Cheap way to try 180 gr. boolits in my .308. Hoping it drops them @ .310 so I won't have to size aside from seating the gas check.

[Soundguy]

What alloy are you going to run, that will effect what they drop at. Harder you go,vtge less shrinkage you will get. I like running gas checked Lyman #2 .

[craveman85]

I have 10# of wheel weights and a10# downrigger ball and 10# of mystery alloy at the moment. Used to have over 1000# of wheel weight ingots but they got stolen after a flood 5 years ago. The woman has a bunch of those little print blocks I think they're antinomy laying around the house. I may steal a few of those.

[gnostic]

The idea that you can pick-up a Lee mold for twenty buck is amazing...

[Walks]

Current Lee 2cav molds are trash. They've cut the bottom outside edge off the mold blocks and their ability to retain consistent heat is severely reduced. I gave up on 1 pair of 44's I recently bought and tossed them.

Buy a 6cav or one from N.O.E. or ACCURATE. Their aluminum molds are GREAT. Whether they are 1cav or 5cav.

[Leeroy151]

The newer Lee molds seem to be inconsistent quality and are for low number count casting, meaning, they seem to wear out pretty quick. If I was gonna cast more than 1000 projectiles I would consider getting a better mold. I don't have a need for more than a 2 hole mold. One of my favorite molds is an old Lee single mold .312, 125 grain projectile. The aluminum block are damaged easily and the base area where the cups are pressed on gets damaged easily and then the sprue cutter gets a little loose and you end up with flash and it becomes extra work.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Yep, Lyman #2 is what I use for Alliant 2400 loads.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

The newer Lee molds seem to be inconsistent quality and are for low number count casting, meaning, they seem to wear out pretty quick. If I was gonna cast more than 1000 projectiles I would consider getting a better mold. I don't have a need for more than a 2 hole mold. One of my favorite molds is an old Lee single mold .312, 125 grain projectile. The aluminum block are damaged easily and the base area where the cups are pressed on gets damaged easily and then the sprue cutter gets a little loose and you end up with flash and it becomes extra work.

I had a 6 cav that wore out after 2000 boolits. Made nice ones while it worked though and I learned on it. No regrets really. I'm moving to brass and cast iron once I figure out what my favorite guns like.

[Soundguy]

I'm not sure I'd put 1000 as a lee mold use full lifespan. I have 3 lee molds ( (2) .358 & (1) .454 ) that I picked up about a year ago. I bet I ran a thousand out of each in the first month I had them. I usually run 300-400 at a time and the molds look great so far. Care and use and storage habits IMHO have as much to do with mold lifespan as anything.

[Soundguy]

I had a 6 cav that wore out after 2000 boolits. Made nice ones while it worked though and I learned on it. No regrets really. I'm moving to brass and cast iron once I figure out what my favorite guns like.

Wow.. You opened and closed it 334 times and its worn out?

[Soundguy]

Yep, Lyman #2 is what I use for Alliant 2400 loads.

Its very forgiving and versatile.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Wow.. You opened and closed it 334 times and its worn out?

Yeah, I learned on it. Ran it too hot, did'nt lube the sprue plate and pins enough. Nube mistakes........

[Soundguy]

Yeah, the steel sprue plate on an aluminum mold, that can for sure get you. That's understandable.

At least you learned on a relatively inexpensive mole and not a noe.

[craveman85]

Ordered the Lee 430-310 6 cavity. It's on sale on Midway USA. With the handles it was under 60$. I'm seeing a lot of people use synthetic 2 stroke oil for lubing it. I may go that route. This won't be my first mold so I'm hoping to get well over 2000 boolits from it. I used to cast the .458-405hb and the 458-500 for my .45-70. I like the sprue setup on the 6 cavity better. More using leverage than whacking it like on the 1 and 2 cavity ones.

[Soundguy]

I have the 458-500, love that boolit.

[fstreed]

The idea that you can pick-up a Lee mold for twenty buck is amazing...

Yes, I agree. I like the new Lee 2 cavity molds over the older ones. The alignment pins seem to work better for one thing. I have two of them now, one in .45 and one for 9 MM, they both drop nice round bullets. Some of the old style made oval shaped bullets. Maybe the equipment was updated for the new style or something?




Someday I'll probably get a nice iron mold but I lost all my casting equipment about 5 years ago in a flood and have been on hiatus with cast loads since then. Have to rebuild my stash too. Used to have 1000+ lbs of wheel weight ingots but someone stole them all during the cleanup.

I lost a lot of mine to a fire a couple years ago. Not all of it, but several molds, mostly Lee, but also at least one LBT and a Lyman 4 cav. Lost a Lee 10 LB. furnace, fortunately my RCBS pot wasn't there. The fire melted around 4-500 pounds of cleaned up wheel weights and a couple hundred LBS. of Linotype, and a few thousand bullets. We had bought the house it was stored in as a fixer-upper to flip, I set up some casting equipment in one of the bed rooms and had left it stored there. That winter someone, probably a homeless type, had broken into it and was evidently staying there. I had several electric heaters stored in another room, they had been moved into the room with the casting equipment where the trespasser was probably sleeping and I think that started the fire.

[fstreed]

Buy Accurate or Noe moulds. Worth the extra. Gp

I have neither, a situation I hope to correct in the not too distant future.

[craveman85]

The 44 I'm going to be reloading for I actually don't have yet. I'm getting my pistol permit which could take a few more weeks or months. Once I get it and can slug it and mic the throats and see if she'll like cast then I'll most likely get a good iron mold for some 240 grain pills. Or maybe even go bigger than the 310.

[craveman85]

Is bullplate even available anymore. Can't seem to find it.

[stubshaft]

I have a number or Lee molds (part of the 100+ mold collection) and find them very serviceable. However, some of the 6 cavity molds have had a tendency to warp. I have found it most prevalent in .44 and .45 cals. Where the center boolits were larger in diameter and ovoid in shape compared to the ones nearest the ends.

[brewer12345]

I don't find the Lee molds to be the equal of the better manufacturers (MP, Noe, Accurate, Arsenal). That said, I own and use several of them and the 2 cavity are serviceable enough for low volume boolits. Would I want a 2 cavity for 38 wadcutters? No, I shoot buckets of them. Do they suffice for 30-06 boolits that I might not shoot a couple hundred of in a year or two? Sure, and for 20 bucks I can't hardly complain.

[HABCAN]

I still have some very old LEE molds bought over forty years ago and they still work just fine TYVM. It seems that those who decry the LEEs buy them for price and then treat them like traditional iron/brass molds vs. following LEE's instructions to the letter to keep them going........and going...........and going. I have some RCBS and Lyman molds, sure, but I BUY LEEs these days! As posted above my only complaint is there are not 6-cavs available in more of their boolit designs.

[Bookworm]

One thing to keep in mind, at least for the handgun molds -

the 6-cav molds I've seen are NOT bevel base.

All the 2-cav molds I've seen ARE bevel base.

[craveman85]

Bevel base? I've been out of the game a while and never casted handgun stuff before.

[toallmy]

I have a couple lee 6 cavity molds I produce a lot of boolits with for the 9s and 45s I don't babe them / or abuse them but over the last couple years with a little care they have held up well . I figure that 356-120 tc has earned its keep . I love noe , saeco , mp , and the others but at 40. Bucks Lee's all right with me .

[Jniedbalski]

Most of my molds are two cavity lee. I almost messed up the 9 mm mold by not lubing it good enuf.the top of the mold starting getting scratching on it from the spur cutter. Just didint lube it good. I found the two cycle or refrigerant oil works good and all my problems went away. The 9 mm and my 357 mold have over 4000 rounds easally on them

[craveman85]

Do you guys buy separate handles for every 6 cavity or swap them out between molds.

[toallmy]

I try to have handles on all the molds I often use . Lee molds don't like to have the screws played with .

[Walks]

I have 3 old 2cav Lee molds my Dad bought at a gun show 30yrs ago. He gave then to me to start casting bullets for COWBOY SHOOTING. I've cast thousands of bullets from them. I used 2-stroke motor oil on the alignment "pins/cuts" and on the bottom of the sprue plate. The oil was wiped on and then off the sprue plate bottom after 10 seconds. I've taken very good care of them and treated them with care.

I treated the new 2cav molds the same way. But it just was impossible to find that "sweet spot" of lead temperature to get consistent bullets. Very disappointing.

I just cast 1250+ bullets out of a pair of aluminium molds. One N.O.E. 44-240 4cav and one ACCURATE 45-210 5cav.

BUY QUALITY, It's worth the extra money.

[Pumpkin]

Try Bullshop Forums---Dan has his own forum now. If you can't raise him, PM me, and I will look up his phone # for you. Yes, bullplate if still available, even has an improved version.

[Taterhead]

One thing to keep in mind, at least for the handgun molds -

the 6-cav molds I've seen are NOT bevel base.

All the 2-cav molds I've seen ARE bevel base.

I've recently been working with the following bullets cast from newish Lee 6 cav molds. All have a little bevel base:

356-125-2R
356-120-TC
452-200-SWC (H&G 68 clone)

The 6 cav molds are much better quality than the 2 hole mold that I have. The 2 cav is the only one I won't use any more.

[Soundguy]

I still have some very old LEE molds bought over forty years ago and they still work just fine TYVM. It seems that those who decry the LEEs buy them for price and then treat them like traditional iron/brass molds vs. following LEE's instructions to the letter to keep them going........and going...........and going. I have some RCBS and Lyman molds, sure, but I BUY LEEs these days! As posted above my only complaint is there are not 6-cavs available in more of their boolit designs.

yep, with care, there is no reason a lee mold should be worn out at 2000 rounds. As I said.. I bought a few molds just recently and they probably made 2000 rounds each their first month,and the molds barely look handled.

[fstreed]

Lee 2 cavity molds are a cheap way to try out a particular bullet style, for example a truncated cone in 9mm to see if there are any chambering problems, before buying a high dollar mold. And the new style 2 cavs seem to work pretty well and make concentric bullets. The older ones seemed to be a case of "you pays yer money and takes yer chances."

I like my Lymans (several), RCBS (two), LBT (several), Mountain Molds (one), and my one H & G mold, but there is a definite niche for Lees also. I have owned several of them over the years beginning with round ball for muzzle loaders.

[craveman85]

Got my 6 cavity in today from Midway. Seems much better built than the 2 cavities I had. Haven't had a chance to cast yet. I've got to smelt some ingots first.

[craveman85]

My previous molds had the notches in the mold blocks and didn't always align that well. One had some horizontal steel pins in it that were undersized and didn't work very well either. This one seems to close solidly and appears to be free of any burrs.

[john.k]

The haters are a bit prone to exaggeration ,or in this case underestimation......the current lee pin and socket type 2 cavity molds I have, have shown no ill effects from casting many thousands of bullets......I cast a potfull thru one mold each session,say 500 bullets.....so they should be worn out after four sessions......which they aint....plenty of beeswax melted into the wearing spots,and they might be dark brown,but cast good as new.

[Buckshot]

................I enjoy the Lee six cavity moulds. IMHO the new 2 cavity blocks are a large improvement over the old "Roller Bearing" alignment types. The new 2 cav's main complaint is the 'Drive Rivet' handle attachment. If the rivet falls out, just drive it back in, but if you have the need to get one out, THAT's the problem :-)

I'll admit to having ruined a couple of the old style 1 & 2 cavity jobs. And I'll further admit to having thrown (with all my might) a couple of the old one or 2 cavity moulds against the far wall of the shop. However I've always had better luck with the 6 cavity jobs.

http://www.fototime.com/34DC7833A633206/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/FC7FB74B506D8FB/standard.jpg

(Left) Making 38 cal DEWC's (Right) Partial production using an old Group Buy 6 cav copy for the C268-132-RF.

One thing I will NEVER do however, and that is to buy a USED Lee mould of ANY type/description unless I can see it first! :-)

.................Buckshot

[Smk SHoe]

I have killed a couple 2 cavity lee molds when I started casting almost 30 years ago. No one to teach or show me. Got back into it a few years ago with help of this forum. I still like the Lee 6 cavity for strictly quantity casting. I have two identical 45 and 3 identical 9mm molds. run them as fast as I can and swap then when they get hot. Have cast Waaaay more than 2K in each. But, I have a ever increasing inventory of NOE and arsenal molds. Much better for quality casting, and NOE molds are a work of Art. Might see if AL over at NOE would sell me a buggered up mold to keep on my computer desk as a paper weight.

[Alan in Vermont]

I just ordered my first "new style" 2 cav. Lee, their 358-200-RF for my yet to be built 35/30-30. I have two of their old style 2 cavity for low use boolits, 44 & 41 SWCs. I have dies and a custom Lee collet crimp die bought used from a member on the Marlin Owners forum. I decided to buy the peripherals first lest I end up with the rifle and nothing to load ammo with.

[gwpercle]

I have 10# of wheel weights and a10# downrigger ball and 10# of mystery alloy at the moment. Used to have over 1000# of wheel weight ingots but they got stolen after a flood 5 years ago. The woman has a bunch of those little print blocks I think they're antinomy laying around the house. I may steal a few of those.
Be careful.... stealing things from "The Woman" can get you in a lot of hot water.
The print blocks are some kind of type metal, most common is Linotype .
A friend in the printing business gave me a large box of type, I use it to add tin to a mix of lead and wheel weights. Ask "The Woman" nicely , she might be willing to give you some.
Gary

[rsrocket1]

About 2 hours worth of casting using the 6 cavity TL452-230-TC and 401-175-TC molds. I don't want to think about how long it would take to do this with 2 cavity molds.

https://images.imgbox.com/29/26/uW3nUfVJ_o.jpg
https://images.imgbox.com/e1/d2/5TnbsTme_o.jpg

[Smk SHoe]

About 2 hours worth of casting using the 6 cavity TL452-230-TC and 401-175-TC molds. I don't want to think about how long it would take to do this with 2 cavity molds.

https://images.imgbox.com/29/26/uW3nUfVJ_o.jpg
https://images.imgbox.com/e1/d2/5TnbsTme_o.jpg

Extremely brave to post pictures of cast bullets on your wife's Christmas pot holders. May be used as evidence at her murder trial if she see's this post:D:D

[bangerjim]

I see absolutely ZERO differnce between 2 and 6 bangers except the speed. I own almost every 2 and 6 banger mold Lee makes and hate the 2 cavity ones because they are sooooooo slooooooow. But they do not make every profile in 6’s. Silly.

Quality of your boolits is based upon: your mold temp when you start, Pb temp, casting techniques, Drop techniques, and how you hold your mouth (!). And not the number of cavities in the mold!

I also own 7 brass mult-cav molds and prefer those 1000% to the Al LEE molds. LEE’s are nice if you want to try out a style of boolit without investing a lot of $$ on brass.


And then there are the poor souls that still cast with ONE cavity molds!!!!! OMG.

Good luck.

Bangerjim

[fivefang]

Smk , the only mold which I consider as a piece of art is my Eagan mx4 30ard, in accuracy & looks, Fivefang

[Ranger 7]

All 10 of my molds are LEE six cavity. The only molds I have ever used.
They have worked great for 9 years now!

[RogerDat]

Worth pointing out NOE has a 20% off sale for the 4th of July week. But I have no real complaints about Lee molds except for the lack of a set screw to prevent the sprue plate hinge screw from working loose or tighter as it is cast with. I also tend to like the 4 cavity molds as a nice balance between productivity and weight. NOE has been my source for that configuration. Lee 2 cavities certainly last more than a 1000 bullets, heck I have more than that on hand ready to use and it wouldn't be the first time I filled up the 30 caliber ammo can with cast from that Lee mold.

Have a single cavity Lyman WC mold that when I get the rhythm right just drops them like a faucet. drip, drip, drip, drip. I don't think it actually takes 2x as long as using a 2 cavity mold. Do I wish I had it in 4 cavity? Sure I do but the single cavity seems to work just fine.

[red67]

As has been previously mentioned by others, No issues with the new Lee 6 cavities over here. I can't speak to the older Lee molds

To me, the new Lee 6 cav with the steel alignment pins/sockets, and the much improved cavity vents really are a bargain.

The Lee third Handle on the Sprue is pure genius! I wish every manufacturer provided this

[pworley1]

I like the 6 cavity better.

[Tom W.]

[QUOTE=bangerjim;439

And then there are the poor souls that still cast with ONE cavity molds!!!!! OMG.

Good luck.

Bangerjim[/QUOTE]

That would be me.

The first Lee mold I bought was a single cavity 160 gr rn that's not listed anymore ( altho the two cavity still is). I use it for my single shot 30/30 and when I want to plink with my Ruger #1 in 30/06 A.I.
I even had a single cavity RCBS 400 gr mold for my .480 Ruger for a few years.

[Soundguy]

And then there are the poor souls that still cast with ONE cavity molds!!!!! OMG.




My single cavity lyman .675 round ball mold works fantastic! Has saved me a ton of money.